County Match (Open) 2018-19: Sussex – Essex

Posted on November 11, 2018 by James Mansson

At the end of October, I played in my first County match of the season, against Essex at their familiar venue in Wanstead. Unfortuntately, neither the team nor I were successful, as I lost my individual game and the team the match. I played an undistinguished game on board 4, where I fell into an inferior position fairly early on and was unable to extract myself. Continue reading →

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Mid-Sussex League Division 1 2018-19: Horsham 1 – Horsham 2

Posted on November 3, 2018 by James Mansson

In mid-October, Horsham 1 took on Horsham 2 in the first match of the season for both teams. In the end, Horsham 1 ran out comfortable winners by 4-1, although there were some tough contests on the individual boards. Continue reading →

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Horsham Club Championship 2018-19: A.Taylor – Mansson

Posted on October 21, 2018 by James Mansson

Following my disappointing draw in my first Club Championship game, it was good to get back on track with a win. Playing Black against Alex Taylor, I obtained a better engame after 15 moves; although he defended well for a while, ultimately he was unable to defend it. Continue reading →

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Horsham Club Championship 2018-19: Marshall – Mansson

Posted on October 3, 2018 by James Mansson

The result of my first game in the rook this season was a little disappointing, as I was held to a draw by John Marshall, against whom I have generally done well. I don’t think I reacted as well as I could to his choice of an unusual sideline, and in the end I was perhaps a little relieved that it ended up as a draw. Continue reading →

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Horsham Club Knockout 2018-19: Mansson – Helliwell

Posted on September 29, 2018 by James Mansson

I played my first competitive game of the chess season last Tuesday, against Peter Helliwell in the Knockout. The game itself was one-sided, as Peter chose an inferior line of the Dragon and soon went down in flames. Continue reading →

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Horsham Club Knockout 2017-18: Mansson – Forster

Posted on July 4, 2018 by James Mansson

The knockout final was finally decided in the fourth game. I was White and built up a strong attacking position. However, I allowed my opponent to create a blockade, when chances were balanced. Then, after mistakes on both side, I made an unsound sacrifice that backfired, and soon had to resign. My opponent therefore became knockout champion this year. Continue reading →

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Horsham Club Knockout 2017-18: Forster – Mansson

Posted on July 4, 2018 by James Mansson

After two games at the normal time control (80 minutes + 10 second increment), the knockout final went to a faster time limit (25 minutes + 5 second increment). As before, it was sudden death, but another game wound be at this same time limit; should the final go to a fifth game or beyond, the time limit for all subsequent game would be even faster (10 minutes + 5 second increment). Continue reading →

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Horsham Club Knockout 2017-18: Mansson – Forster

Posted on July 2, 2018 by James Mansson

My first replay against Mike Forster in the knockout final also ended in a draw. Out of the opening I had a slight advantage, but expanded too quickly on the queenside, allowing my opponent to generate counterplay. Later, after some complications, I went wrong, allowing my opponent the chance to establish an advantage, but fortunately he underestimated his position and agreed to a repetition of the position. The game therefore ended as a draw, and we had to arrange to finish the final a week later. Continue reading →

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Horsham Club Championship 2017-18: Mansson – A.Taylor

Posted on June 26, 2018 by James Mansson

My final club championship game to finish was against Alex Taylor. I was White; the opening was the Sicilian Dragon. My opponent choses an inferior continuation and I was soon able to win a pawn; mutual innaccuracies followed before I was eventually able to consolidate a winning advantage by the time we reached the time control. My opponent chose to adjourn; we did not have the opportunity to resume the game for a long time, but eventually my opponent decided it was not worth it and resigned in any case. Continue reading →

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Horsham Club Championship 2017-18: Bennet-Stevens – Mansson

Posted on June 15, 2018 by James Mansson

Last Tuesday I played my club championship game against Lucy Bennet-Stevens, one of the club’s most promising junior players. I managed to score a win in a tense game. Apart from my adjourned game against Alex Taylor, this was my last game in the championship this year; however, other players, including Lucy, have a few more games to play, so the championship is still undecided. Continue reading →

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